Page 32 of Prayers for the Prickly

“Actually, I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but with several of the issues that arose while lining up the movies and projector system, concessions got pushed to the wayside. Aside from Mr. Leroux’s gourmet peanut and popcorn wagon, we don’t even have refreshments lined up, let alone candy. You offering to set up a popup stand really takes the load off my mind. If you’d like to come down, we can fill out the paperwork and get you a map of the park to show you where to set up.”

“That’s perfect, I can be there in just a few minutes,” I said. “What’s the fee?”

“Twenty-five dollars, but that’s for the entire Movies in the Park series, all eight weeks.”

“Whoa, talk about a good deal.”

“As a chamber, we’re not out here trying to make a bunch of money off our local business, especially not the ones who already support us. What fees we do charge all go back into bringing the next idea or event to life.”

“That’s awesome and the whole Movies in the Park idea is really cool, especially with people looking to get outside now that it’s gotten warmer.”

“My thoughts exactly. This winter was a mild one compared to some of the ones we’ve had in recent years. Folks were still able to be social in ways they don’t always get the chance to be when everything is covered in ice and shut down because the roads are impassable.”

“I hear that, the winters got pretty brutal in my hometown, too.”

“Well, I’ll see you in a little bit, August, and thank you again for reaching out to me,” he said. “A popup candy shop would never have entered my mind.”

“You’re welcome,” I said before ending the call.

Now that I’d been given the go-ahead a million and one things started sparking like fireworks in my head.

My popup candy shop was a specially designed trailer with all the colorful bells and whistles to get people’s attention. From the lollipops that formed the awning posts to wheels painted to look like pinwheel candy, there was no mistaking what it was: a huge candy wagon with a specially designed case made of sturdy plexiglass I always polished to a high shine before an event. It sat low enough that kids could see into it, and for this event, I’d finally get to unveil some of the special packaging ideas I’d been working on over the past few months.

It had been an investment, not just in a printer that could handle the flat boxes I wanted to adorn with my logo and the designs I’d been working on to advertise different candies, but in the ink and the boxes, too, which arrived flat, and would have to be assembled and loaded once they’d been printed on.

I’d need to see where Gracie was at with her classes and if she had any free time to spare this week to get them set up. I’d need to decided how many of each variety to print, too, once I determined which candies to include. People loved pourable candy at the theater, something they could share. We’d avoid things with the potential to stick together, as well as large pieces that wouldn’t pour easily while taking up too much space in the box.

Ohh, I could play with the mini molds, too, and the stamper, to put my own little symbol on the outside of the candy shells containing my lava bursts and lemonade drops. Those I’d definitely want to include.

Tapping notes into my notebook app might not have been the wisest way to walk down a street, but I didn’t want to forget a single idea on the way to the chamber office. There was so much to do, and I was super excited to get started and the best part was, there was a whole section in my recipe book that I’d already devoted to movie candy themes, with the recipes perfected and a list of all the ingredients I’d need to pull them off. From flavor profiles to sugar-free options, I was not only confident that I’d be able to pull this off, but I knew I’d be able to provide a positive customer experience once people got a look at all of the options I had for them.

Ohh, and coupons, too, we’d print them on the backs of each box and offer a 15% discount on the next purchase the customer made at the shop. It might cut down on the temptation to litter, too, if they saw a need to hold on to the packaging. I typed that note, too, and just because I was me and wanted to ramp up my marketing prowess even more, I made a note to add a mystery flavor in every pack and offer customers an additional 5% off if they were able to name it correctly. People loved discounts and my shop was still new enough that people came in for the first time on a daily basis, some lamenting that it had taken them so long, once they’d gotten a look at what was in my cases.

The bump, when it came, should have been expected, considering I was lost in my own little world, but it jarred me just the same and I bobbled my phone, barely catching it before it hit the ground.

“Oh, oh my goodness, I’m sorry about that,” a woman said, holding a familiar elementary school student by one hand and several bags in the other.

“No, not your fault at all,” I told her. “It’s all on me, I should have been paying attention to where I was going.”

The little girl pointed at me and giggled. “You’re The Candyman!”

“Sarah, it’s not nice to point,” her mother said, gently lowering her finger back to her side. “Say you’re sorry.”

“I’m sorry, but you are The Candyman, right?”

“I am The Candyman,” I told her. “And I remember you from your second grade class trip when you came in to watch us make marshmallows.”

“Marshy-mellows are my favorites!”

“Yes, I remember you calling them that. Which flavor did you like best?”

“The lime ones.”

“Those were kinda cool, weren’t they?”

“Yup, and sour.”

He chuckled at that and nodded. “And sour.”

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